


Reaching Out (Chocolate Cake)

by unknowableroom_archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-01-29
Updated: 2007-01-29
Packaged: 2019-01-19 03:27:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12402123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unknowableroom_archivist/pseuds/unknowableroom_archivist
Summary: Sometimes all it takes is some chocolate cake to bring family back together...





	Reaching Out (Chocolate Cake)

**Author's Note:**

> Note from ChristyCorr, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Unknowable Room](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Unknowable_Room), a Harry Potter archive active from 2005-2016. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after May 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Unknowable Room collection profile](http://www.archiveofourown.org/collections/unknowableroom).

**A/N** : There are too many Bill/Fleur wedding stories that don’t have Percy attending. And even though I’m far from being Percy’s number one fan, I still have a small inkling that he would attend the wedding, if not for his own brother, then for his parents, who he still loves deeply. These are his thoughts on not only the wedding, but on the entire Weasley clan; a clan that he has slowly faded away from.

**Reaching Out (Chocolate Cake)**

Weddings. I _guess_ they’re supposed to be a happy time. A time where you can just forget about the world and focus only on the two souls that are binding themselves together for all eternity. A time where you can just kick your heels up, let your hair down and just… relax. Revel in the fact that two people were lucky enough to find each other and learn to love one another with all their hearts, even if they’re two completely different human beings.

Because, let’s face it, Bill and Fleur are two completely different human beings.

I never got to formally meet my brother’s blushing bride until today, actually. But just the sight of her made me think that, even though they’re very much in love, they couldn’t be more different. Bill has a sort of rugged look to him; Fleur’s looks are delicate and refined, like just touching her she would break under you hand. Bill’s laugh would echo of the walls of The Burrow and into each corner of the house; Fleur’s laugh was more like a bell, the soft sound tinkling across the way, barely noticeable unless you were listening for it. Bill wanted boys; Fleur wanted girls. Of course, I just happened to overhear this today, while the happy couple was teasingly bickering back and forth about how their first son should have a good, strong name, like Heath, or how their first daughter should be named after Fleur’s little sister, Gabrielle.

The actual wedding ceremony was quite beautiful. Fleur looked just like an angel in her white, sparkling robes, almost floating down the aisle lighted with fairies. I noticed a tiara gracing her head, looking like it was that and only that that was holding up her long silver hair in a delicate French twist. I didn’t have time to figure out why it was so familiar-looking, for Fleur made it to the end of the aisle where my oldest brother waited, beaming and looking quite handsome even though his face was marred. From a werewolf attack, I learned much later. I guess love really does make you glow, even for men.

The ceremony was quite short, thankfully. They said their vows, exchanged rings while the traditional wizard’s Marriage Binding Spell was placed upon them, and kissed. Simple, elegant. I liked it.

They turned toward the crowd, smiling and laughing, while we all clapped and cheered. Bill’s laugh the loudest I’ve ever heard it to be. They started back down the aisle until Bill cast a mischievous smirk Fleur’s way. She blushed, then, realized what he was about to do, grew stern. “Bill, no! You will _not_ do eet! It iz not – AHHHH!”

Just then, Bill swept Fleur up in his arms, making the small crowd of guests laugh even louder. I rolled my eyes. Will Bill ever grow up? 

He ran down the rest of the aisle, with Fleur screaming and fuming in tow. After the little show, the guests started to disperse and go into the house so that the reception tables and dance floor could be set up. I slowly got out of my seat, in the back, mind you, and walked to the edge of the yard, where there was a small pond. 

Sighing heavily, I sank down onto the small… dock I guess you could call it, that my father built when I was 5. That way, we could all pull ourselves out of the pond after swimming and “not get anymore dirty than was necessary,” according to my mother.

Mother. Oh, I do miss her terribly. She was the only one that ever stood up for me throughout the years. When Bill and Charlie ever picked on me for liking to read so much, or liking to do extra homework, mother would scold them and make them clean the bathroom with no magic and I’d get to make cookies with her and have the first one. Of course, this didn’t work when I got to Hogwarts.

Bill and Charlie were in their 6th and 4th years, respectively, when I first came to Hogwarts. Bill was a Prefect and Charlie was one of the best Seekers on any of the House Quidditch Teams. They were well-liked by everyone in school, except the Slytherins of course. Although I do remember a few Slytherin girls coming up to Bill at Platform 9 ¾ the summer after my first year and asking him to owl them sometime. He smiled the biggest and whitest smile I’ve ever seen and said “If I have the time, you’ll be the first.” They swooned and walked off, giggling behind their hands. After staring at them sauntering off, I looked up at Bill just as he rolled his eyes. 

“You’re going to owl them, aren’t you?” I gestured to where the girls were standing just moments before.

Bill laughed, you know, the loud one I talked about earlier. Since I was standing right next to him I was surprised my ears didn’t fall off, although they did ring for a while after. “No way, they’re Slytherins.”

“Then why did you say you were?”

“Comes with a territory. If I’m going to be Head Boy next year, I need to keep up my status.”

“Status?”

He looked down on me with a face that I never wanted to see again. On anyone. “Look, Perce, if you ever want to make friends at school, you need a status.”

“I have friends!” I said a bit shrilly.

“Oh, right. Those geeks that you study with every night in the library. I forgot.” Then he walked off.

As much as I wanted to be Head Boy, I _never_ wanted to be like Bill.

Maybe that was the day I started feeling farther and farther away from my family.

Over the years, it got worse. My brothers would form friendships with anyone but me. Bill and Charlie. Fred and George; understandable, as they’re twins. Even Ronald and Ginevra are close. I guess it’s because they’re closer in age, I don’t know. But I was always the odd-man-out.

None of them would reach out to me.

Maybe that’s why I flew off the deep-end and cursed my family into oblivion two summers ago. Maybe that’s why I yelled at my father for being naïve enough to trust someone like Dumbledore in such serious times.

It was because I never really felt like a member of this family. Related only by name and blood, and nothing else.

None of them would reach out to me. 

Except mother.

That’s why I’m here. I came back to my childhood home, the first time since Christmas, dressed in these God-awful scratchy robes that were too hot since it was summer after all, for my mother.

She was the only one that did reach out to me.

I saw my brother get married, saw him magically bind himself to another for all eternity, saw my new sister-in-law and my other siblings dressed up and happy. And now it’s time for me to go home.

“Percy?”

I jumped at the soft voice behind me, lifting myself up rather hastily and almost falling into the pond. Whirling around I didn’t see anyone at first, but she was there, half-hiding herself behind the giant oak tree that hid me from view of the reception.

My mother.

“Percy?” She repeated, as if she wasn’t quite sure that it was, indeed, me.

“Ye—“ I cleared my throat slightly. I haven’t used my voice in over a day. “Yes, mother?”

She took a small step towards me, looking at the dock, the tree, over her shoulder; anywhere but at me. I felt my heart twist.

“Um, we have cake.” She stated. I thought that was all until she began again, faster and with even more nerves in her voice. “We have cake and we have lots of it and I was wondering if you wanted some. Chocolate, your favorite. The cake is about ten layers high but you can only eat from the bottom six because the top four fell over and into the grass. Fred and George are trying to salvage them, though.” She smiled sadly, looking over her shoulder again, as if to see if the twins did accomplish their goal. Looking back at me, she tried to smile again but it turned into a sort of grimace and tears formed in her eyes. 

I tried to ignore them. “I’d love some cake, but it’s getting rather late and I should be getting home.”

Just by looking in her eyes I could see her heart break. “Oh, all right then. It was—it was great seeing you here. I’m glad you c-came.”

She tried one last smile and quickly ran over to hug me. “I love you, Percy. Don’t forget that. And your brothers and sister love you too, as does your father. _Please_ don’t think otherwise.” 

She let go quickly, and before I could say anything else on the subject, she fled back towards the celebrations.

I sighed heavily again and looked at my watch. 6:55. I told Penelope, my fiancé, that I would be back home by 7, saying I didn’t want to linger. I can still hear her voice right before I left.

_“Percy Ignatius Weasley! You can’t just wait forever for them to come to you! If you want everything to be back to normal you need to take the first step. Now when I ask Molly for some wedding pictures of the family and you’re not in them, there’s no telling_ what _I’ll do to you! I bet they don’t even know about us, do they? Don’t you think they deserve to know? Don’t you think your_ mother _deserves to know?”_

I winced slightly, remembering how her voice went rather high and shrill. Thinking right when I got to The Burrow yesterday night, I knew it was an empty threat, now I’m not so sure…

“Just go, Percy,” I whispered to myself, “Just Apparate and go home to you fiancé. You don’t need to be here anymore. Just go. Just _go!_ ”

But I didn’t go. Instead, I felt my feet moving away from the pond and out into the yard, where everyone was eating cake and dancing. I could still hear the voice in my head, screaming _Get out of there!_ But I didn’t listen. I wasn’t able to leave The Burrow even if I wanted to.

I heard Fred and George telling my father, in mock grave tones, that the top-half of the cake didn’t make it, and the burial was set for sunset tomorrow. I heard my sister, Ginevra, and Harry Potter talking in hushed tones at a vacant table far from the crowds. Glancing over I could see tears in her eyes and a stiff look on Harry’s face. Whatever that was about…

I heard my youngest brother, Ron, tripping over his own words at what I could only guess was an invitation to dance for Hermione Granger. I heard the smile in her voice as she said “Of course.” And glancing over their way I saw him take her hand and pull her standing, his ears stained maroon; a classic Weasley trait that we were cursed with.

As I got closer I heard Bill’s booming laugh drown out the soft giggle from his new wife, tucked neatly under his arm as they were talking animatedly to my parents. His free arm was flailing about and was dangerously close to knocking off Fleur’s tiara, which I now recognize as Auntie Muriel’s goblin-made one.

When I was right behind mother Bill stopped gesturing wildly and his smile slowly faded from his face. Fleur’s smile was still plastered on her’s and, just by guessing, even if You-Know-Who popped in right now, that smile still would not falter.

I saw my mother tilt her head slightly in question, until she turned around and I was face-to-face with her. Her eyes widened slightly and she tried that half-smile, half-grimace that she saves just for me. 

“Why, Percy! You’re still here. I thought you’d gone home.” She studied me for a minute, and then frowned. That came more naturally. I guess during these times you don’t really smile much. “Is everything all right?”

“No, mother, it isn’t.” I looked over at Bill, who was glaring at me, a face that clearly said, _You make her cry and I’ll smash your face in._

But I’d never make her cry. Not now, at least. Not anymore.

It was time for me to reach out.

Before she could question my blunt statement, I looked over at the would-be-ten-layer-cake-if-it-didn’t-fall-over and said “You’d said there was chocolate cake, and I only see carrot.” I added a small, teasing smirk.

Her eyes, if possible, widened even more, and her half-grimace turned into a full smile. “Oh! The chocolate cake’s in the house, dear. Surprisingly, people wanted carrot cake instead of chocolate.”

“What? Are they crazy?” I joked.

Bill’s glare disappeared in that instant and his booming laugh came back. “That’s what I said!” His free arm then came around and thumped me on the back, rather hard, as my horn-rimmed glasses slid almost clean off my nose. “Nothing beats chocolate cake, not even carrot.”

“Weel, if you just try eet…” Fleur sighed, but the smile was still there.

“No way. Besides, I’m stuffed. Now it’s time for you to dance with your new, ruggedly handsome husband.” Bill then threw his arms around Fleur and practically carried her to the dance floor. I tried hard to not roll my eyes.

Mother wiped her eyes on her sleeve and smiled once more at me. I forgot how much I loved her smile until now. “I’ll get you that chocolate cake, now.” 

Before she turned to go back to the house, I grabbed her wrist gently, “Wait, before you get that…”

She turned back to me. I didn’t let go of her wrist. “What is it, dear?”

I smiled slightly. “Remember Penelope Clearwater?”

Her eyes lit up. “Oh, yes! I remember her! She came to visit The Burrow a few summers didn’t she? Head Girl with your Head Boy, right? Oh, she was the loveliest girl… Why do you ask?”

I smiled wider, my first true smile in ages. “Well, me and Penelope have a bit of news…”


End file.
